Superb Posh Sting Hornets Promotion Push

Posh stretched their unbeaten run to nine game with a 3-2 victory over Watford at London Road.

Peterborough United moved out of the relegation zone with a superb 3-2 victory over Watford at London Road with Danny Swanson, Lee Tomlin and Dwight Gayle on target.

Darren Ferguson's men made a lively start at a blustery London Road and could have opened the scoring inside the first five minutes as Dwight Gayle latched onto a Danny Swanson through ball, cut inside and fired inches wide with his left foot.

Lee Tomlin was next to try his luck, collecting a Knight-Percival pass before firing low at goal with Almunia making a routine stop.

Chalobah sent a dipping volley wide of the target on 17 minutes after Deeney's initial effort was blocked. Olejnik prevented a powerful Hogg effort from finding the back of the net with a smart stop on 24 minutes.

The deadlock was broken on the half hour mark as Danny SWANSON coolly collected a Gayle flick and finished one v one with Almunia, slotting the ball low and into the corner of the net.

Posh lost the services of Mark Little on the stroke of half-time with a muscular problem. Shaun Brisley replaced him.

Ferdinand saw a shot saved by Almunia after a good one-two with Tomlin before a brave piece of defending from Brisley prevented Deeney from getting a shot on target.

On 61 minutes, Posh got themselves two goals to the good as McCann fed GAYLE, he played a one-two with Tomlin and swept the ball past goalkeeper Almunia and into the bottom corner.

Watford were reduced to 10-men on 63 minutes as Cassetti was given a straight red card for bringing down Gayle as he raced clear to a McCann through ball.

From the resulting set-piece, Posh made it 3-0 as TOMLIN curled a superb free-kick over the wall and into the back of the net past the despairing dive of Almunia.

Posh made a double change on 74 minutes as Alex Pritchard and Florent Cuvelier replaced Tomlin and Swanson who both received deserved standing ovations.

Almunia parried a Rowe effort on 77 minutes with Cuvelier firing into the side-netting with the rebound. Anya fired wide of the upright at the other end after a corner was only half cleared.

Yeates rolled a shot wide of the target after good football from the Hornets on 84 minutes. Watford reduced the arrears moments later as YEATES curled a free-kick into the back of the net via a deflection.

The Hornets had appeals for a spot-kick turned down when Zakuani appeared to fell Deeney in the box, but the referee waved away the protests. Vydra saw a shot saved by Olejnik on 89 minutes as Posh wobbled towards the end.

In the last seconds, Watford pulled another goal back as FORESTIERI fired home a deflected goal to put a more flattering look on the Watford score-line.